By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Covington Catholic has a slim two-point lead over Villa Madonna in the 9th Region boys tennis tournament with five matches scheduled for Thursday on the outdoor courts at Five Seasons in Edgewood.
After seven of the eight quarterfinal matches were completed on Wednesday, CovCath was on top in the team standings with 10 points and Villa Madonna was next with eight. The one doubles match that was suspended due to lightning and rain happens to be between members of those two teams.
The suspended doubles match will resume at 3:30 p.m. Thursday and the singles semifinals will begin at that same time. The doubles semifinal matches are scheduled for 4:45 p.m.
Campbell County won the 10th Region team title in boys tennis earlier this week. In the singles final, Anderson McDowell of Campbell County defeated Brad Reed of Bellevue. They both qualified for the state tournament that begins May 17 in Lexington.
Any singles or doubles player who makes it to the semifinals of a regional tournament earns a berth in the state tournament. Here is a list of the local state qualifiers that have been reported so far:
BOYS DOUBLES — Benito and Cristiano Trojani (CovCath), Robert Spicker and Yamaan Ahmad (Villa Madonna), John Taylor and Garrett Jordan (Beechwood), Chris Fox and Mason Neises (Campbell County), Matthew Erickson and John Laskey (Highlands).
BOYS SINGLES — Anderson McDowell (Campbell County), Brad Reed (Bellevue), Luke Williams (Campbell County), Peter Laskey (Highlands), Toshi Watanabee (CovLatin), Jon-Michael Schulte (Villa Madonna), Max Cook (CovCath), Cole Moss (Calvary Christian).
GIRLS DOUBLES — Elizabeth Schwalbach and Rachel Hoffmann (Highlands), Fley and Bailey (Notre Dame), Shane and Iuragato (Ryle), Bailey and Moellering (Notre Dame), Hamilton and Laurino (Ryle).
GIRLS SINGLES — Natalie Smith (Campbell County), Brooke Hodory (Highlands), Sarah Watanabe (CovLatin), Katherine Taylor (Beechwood), Elle Zureick (Cooper), Christine Li (Ryle).